On January 10, the Department of Environmental Protection announced a change in its regional office boundaries, the opening of a new office to handle multi-county projects and provided an update of ongoing e-permitting and e-inspection initiatives designed to improve permit review times and reduce costs.

The PA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Planning Steering Committee is scheduled to meet on January 16 to hear updates from two of the counties involved in the County Clean Water Planning Pilot Project and a presentation from the Penn State Agriculture and Environment Center on more Farm Survey results.

On January 11, Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell joined six public and private partners in launching the High Performance Farms Initiative to help increase environmental sustainability, economic benefits, public health, and soil and water quality by promoting innovative farming practices in Pennsylvania’s part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

On January 11, the Sand County Foundation announced the DiFebo family’s Harvest Home Farms of Northampton County has been selected as the first recipient of the 2018 Pennsylvania Leopold Conservation Award®.

The Penn State Agriculture and Environment Center and many partners invite you to attend the Pennsylvania in the Balance Conference 2019 at the Hershey Lodge February 6-8 where your ideas can help shape agriculture’s role in the Phase 3 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan.

Since December 21, the Department of Environmental Protection has announced a total of $11,652,697 in Growing Greener grants for watershed restoration, mine drainage treatment, flood damage reduction and water quality improvement projects in Beaver, Bradford, Cambria, Centre, Clarion, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Lancaster, Lehigh, Lycoming, Luzerne, McKean, Montgomery, Northumberland, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Venango, Washington, Wyoming and York counties.

On January 10, the Department of Environmental Protection announced the award of 2 grants to Penn State University totaling $181,038 to help train volunteer Master Watershed Stewards and support internships for students on farm conservation practices.

On January 7, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation announced the biennial State of the Bay Report score decreased one point this year to 33, equivalent to a  D+. The drop was largely due to increased pollution and poor water clarity caused by record regional rainfall.

By Karl Blankenship, Chesapeake Bay Journal

By Kate Fritz, Executive Director Alliance For The Chesapeake Bay

On January 7, House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny) named Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) as the Democratic Chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

On January 7, Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) announced Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) will again serve as Republican Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee in the new session.

The Foundation For Pennsylvania Watersheds recently released an economic study that documented a 150 percent return on investment  for funding a major project designed to treat mine drainage polluting nearly 30 miles of the Little Conemaugh River in Cambria County.

On January 8, Gov. Tom Wolf announced he has signed a new executive order setting a statewide goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent by 2025 and 80 percent by 2050 from 2005 levels.  These are the same reduction levels in the 2015 U.N. Paris Climate Agreement.

On January 8, Peoples Gas announced it is committing to cut methane emissions from its Pittsburgh distribution system by 50 percent using advanced leak detection methods developed in partnership with Environmental Defense Fund and Google Earth Outreach to map and measure leaks coming from underground pipes.

On January 8, Gov. Tom Wolf pledged to continue to make Pennsylvania an environmental leader in his second term.  He went on to list what he said were his environmental and energy accomplishments during his first term.

In the January 9 Resource newsletter, DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn outlined her agency's accomplishments in 2018 in a special message from the Secretary--

A new Penn State University study released by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania estimates recreational visits to DCNR’s State Forest system contributes an estimated $721.4 million annually to the state’s economy and supports 5,100 jobs.

On January 9, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful announced 13,297 volunteers worked in their communities to remove 523,855 pounds of trash and tires from Pennsylvania streams and watersheds during the 2018 International Coastal Cleanup.

On January 11, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful announced groups can start registering their local cleanup events as part of the 2019 Great American Cleanup of PA on January 15.  The event runs from March 1 to May 31.

PennFuture is now accepting nominations for the 5th Annual Celebrating Women In Conservation Awards.  The deadline for nominations is February 22.

On January 9, Dominion Energy and the PA Environmental Council announced applications are now being accepted for the 2019 Western Pennsylvania Environmental Awards for excellence in advancing the environmental quality of Western Pennsylvania.

On January 10, the PA Lake Management Society announced it is now accepting nominations for its Annual Awards Program.  The deadline for nominations is February 15.

The PA Environmental Council published this remembrance of Sen. Ted Erickson (R-Delaware) who passed away on January 8 at the age of 80.

This section includes a lot of the nitty-gritty legislative stuff you need to  keep track of environmental legislation and legislative schedules.

Rep. Keith Gillespie, Majority Chair, House Game and Fisheries Committee

The DEP Citizens Advisory Council is scheduled to meet on January 22 to hear a presentation on DEP’s Oil and Gas Management Program by Scott Perry, Deputy Secretary for Oil and Gas Management.

The Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area is now accepting applications for Schuylkill River Restoration Fund Grants to support local Water Quality Improvement Projects and Land Transaction grants. 

Individuals interested in joining Penn State Extension’s Master Watershed Steward Program in Berks County can attend one of three upcoming information meetings on January 14, 28 or February 11 starting at 6:00 at the Berks County Ag Center auditorium, 1238 County Welfare Road in Leesport.

DEP’s Water Resources Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet on January 24 to discuss a variety of issues, including--

The Schuylkill County Conservation District and the Sweet Arrow Lake Conservation Association are now accepting orders for the 44th Annual Seedling Sale.

The PA Environmental Council and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will celebrate Earth Month by hosting a tree planting event in Moshannon State Forest starting in Penfield, Clearfield County from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

In a thought-provoking and informative series from WHYY TV12, viewers can see how a team of scientists, educators, and private citizens are working every day to maintain the quality of the water that sustains 15 million people living in the Delaware River Watershed.

Registration is now open for the PA Lake Management Society 2019 Annual Conference to be held March 6-7 at the Ramada Conference Center in State College, Centre County.

The PA-American Water Works Association is now accepting registrations for its 71st Annual Conference to be held April 16-18 at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center in Hershey.

On January 11, Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced Fiat Chrysler and auto supplier Robert Bosch have agreed to pay $8,415,879 total to Pennsylvania, and more than $171 million to 52 jurisdictions nationwide, for selling or leasing vehicles that allegedly contained illegal defeat devices which allow vehicles to pass emissions inspections without actually being compliant.

On January 9, the Environmental Hearing Board issued a decision rejecting one of the air quality permits for the natural gas liquids project at the Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals, L.P. facility in Delaware County in a case brought by the Clean Air Council.

The Department of Environmental Protection posted the formal notices that it has issued water quality permits for the Shell Ethane Pipeline in Allegheny, Beaver and Washington counties in the January 12 PA Bulletin (page 256).

On January 9 the Delaware Riverkeeper Network appealed a federal court denial of a challenge to DEP's Water Quality Certification for the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has executed a lease with Chevron Appalachia, LLC for a Youghiogheny River streambed crossing in South Versailles and Elizabeth townships in Allegheny County and Sewickley Township in Westmoreland County for $975,600.

On January 7, Covanta announced it has started construction of its first Total Ash Processing System (TAPS) in Fairless Hill, Bucks County adjacent to Covanta's existing metals processing facility.

On January 8, a drawing of the Spotted Lanternfly titled “Lousy Lanternflies” by Bella Santos, an eighth-grader at Governor Mifflin Middle School in Berks County, has been named the grand prize winner of the Spotted Lanternfly Calendar Contest organized by the Department of Agriculture.

On January 9, the Brandywine Conservancy announced it has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to be used towards the acquisition of a 569-acre natural area along the Octoraro Creek in Lower Oxford and West Nottingham Townships, Chester County.

On January 9, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced new regulations that apply to the conservation of native wild plants in Pennsylvania are now final.  (Dec. 22 PA Bulletin, page 7757)

The Pocono Arts Council, along with several local partners, will host “The Earth Speaks V: A Juried Exhibition on the Environmental Crisis,” in Spring 2019 at the Dunning Art Gallery, Northampton Community College Monroe Campus, Tannersville.

The Department of Environmental Protection named Aneca Atkinson as Acting Deputy Secretary for Water Program to replace Tim Schaeffer who moved to the Fish and Boat Commission as Executive Director.

Timothy D. Schaeffer, the new Executive Director of the Fish and Boat Commission, penned this introductory message that appeared in the January/February Pennsylvania Angler & Boater magazine, along with a great photo of his 2 sons Erik and Kurt enjoying the water--

On January 8, the Game Commission announced it is recruiting the 32nd class of State Game Warden Cadets at its Ross Leffler School of Conservation in Harrisburg.

The Department of Environmental Protection is looking for summer interns. College students with science, engineering, biology, communications, other backgrounds are needed. Apply now!   Deadline March 1. Click Here for all the details and positions available.

The PA Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists is seeking qualified candidates for the full-time position of Executive Director.

Pittsburgh-based Landforce is seeking qualified candidates for a Work Readiness Manager to work closely with Landforce crew members to assess current career skills, interests, and aptitudes and assist them to set career path goals including  training or employment.

Here are NewsClips from around the state on all environmental topics, including General Environment, Budget, Marcellus Shale, Watershed Protection and much more.

This section lists House and Senate Committee meetings, DEP and other public hearings and meetings and other interesting environmental events.

This section gives you a heads up on upcoming deadlines for awards and grants and other recognition programs.  NEW means new from last week.

Here are highlights of actions taken by agencies on environmental regulations, technical guidance and permits.

CLICK HERE to View or Print the entire PA Environment Digest.  This Digest is 92 pages long.

Send your stories, photos and links to videos about your project, environmental issues or programs for publication in the PA Environment Digest to: PaEnviroDigest@gmail.com.

PA Environment Digest is proud to be a sponsor of the 2019 PA Abandoned Mine Reclamation and National Abandoned Mine Lands Program Conference to be held in Pittsburgh on September 8-11.

PA Environment Digest is a supporting member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, Pennsylvania Council Trout Unlimited and the Doc Fritchey Chapter Trout Unlimited.